As political tensions rise between the BJP and TMC over the arrest of regulation scholar and social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, Dutch MP Geert Wilders has voiced his assist for her, defending her proper to free speech.
Calling her arrest “a shame” and referring to Panoli as “courageous,” the 61-year-old MP mentioned she shouldn’t be penalised for expressing her views.
Taking to X (previously Twitter), the far-right Dutch lawmaker shared a poster studying “All eyes on Sharmishta Panoli” and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to safe her launch.
“Free the courageous Sharmishta Panoli! It’s a shame for freedom of speech that she was arrested. Don’t punish her for talking the reality about Pakistan and Muhammad. Assist her @narendramodi! @AmyMek,” Wilders posted.
Free the courageous Sharmishta Panoli!
It’s a shame for the liberty of speech that she was arrested.
Don’t punish her for talking the reality about Pakistan and Muhammad.
Assist her @narendramodi! @AmyMek #Sharmishta#IStandwithSharmishta #ReleaseSharmistha #FreeSharmishta pic.twitter.com/YhGSLhuyr2
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025
Panoli’s arrest has sparked a political storm in India, with BJP leaders demanding her quick launch. Get together members argue that the regulation scholar had already deleted the contentious video and issued an apology, and declare that her arrest constitutes unfair focusing on.
The controversy stems from a now-deleted video through which Panoli allegedly made communal remarks, accusing some Bollywood celebrities of remaining silent on Operation Sindoor. The video triggered vital backlash, with many accusing her of spreading hate speech and threatening her on-line.
In a public assertion, Panoli supplied an apology, writing: “I do hereby tender my unconditional apology. No matter was put are my private emotions and I by no means deliberately needed to harm anyone, so if anyone is harm, I’m sorry for a similar. I anticipate co-operation and understanding. Henceforth, I might be cautious in my public publish. Once more, please settle for my apologies.”
Panoli, a regulation scholar at Symbiosis Worldwide College, enjoys a considerable following on social media with almost 85,000 followers on X and 90,000 on Instagram. A resident of Kolkata’s Anandapur space, she has been charged underneath sections associated to selling enmity between teams, acts supposed to outrage spiritual emotions, intentional insult, and provocation prone to trigger a breach of peace, in line with the Kolkata Police, as reported by PTI.
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“A number of makes an attempt have been made to serve authorized notices to Panoli and her household, however they went incommunicado. The matter was then offered earlier than the courtroom, which issued an arrest warrant. On Friday night time, she was arrested from Gurugram by Kolkata Police,” an officer mentioned.
Panoli was produced earlier than a courtroom in Alipore on Saturday, which remanded her to judicial custody till June 13 after rejecting her bail plea. Chatting with reporters whereas leaving the courtroom, she mentioned, “The best way this harassment is being achieved in a democracy — this isn’t democracy.”